Cotton-gin feeder.



J. H. CARY.

COTTON GIN FEEDER.

APPucATmN FILED JuLv 6.1916.

Lp 1 patented Apr.10,1917.

2 SHEETS*SHEET l.

.|. H. CARY.

COTTON GIN FEEDER.

APPLlcATloN FILED JULY 6,1916.

Patented Apr. l0, EN?.

2 SHEETS-SHEET! Z.

@worum JAMES H. CARY, GF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE.

COTTON-GIN FEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. Elib, ilil?.

Application filed July 6, 1916. Serial No. 107,768.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, .latins H. CARY, a citizen of the Uni-ted States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Cotton Grin Feeders, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to. certain new and useful improvements in apparatus for separating foreign matter from seed-cotton and saving the latter in a condition for commercial use. Specifically, the invention has reference to an improved means for hulling and cleaning seed-cotton so that the same may be fed to a cotton gin in the best possible condition. The apparatus may also be used for treating trashy seed-cotton, especially boil-screenings, and for separating the dry boll from cotton and for such similar purposes as the apparatus may be` found useful.

With the above and other objects in view my invention consists of the parts, and the constructions, arrangements and combinations of parts which l will hereinafter de- Scribe and claim.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification and in which similar reference characters indicate like parts in the several views;

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a cotton gin feeder embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional View of the rotary brush, 26.

Fig. 3 is a detail showing in elevation a fragment of the brush.

Fig. lis a detail showing in plan one of the toothed strips which forms a periphery of the toothed drum, 5.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the strip bent to form an upstanding serrated edge.

In the accompanying drawing, A, represents a framework of suitable design, size and construction in the upper portion of which is arranged or provided a. hopper or feed-box, B, into which the material to be treated is fed ,in any desired manner.

Within the upper portion of the feed-box and arranged one at each side of the center thereof, is a pair of feed rolls, l and 2, between the opposed surfaces of which the seed-cotton or other material is caused to be positively advanced. Each of these feed rollers has its periphery armed or provided with spikes, c, whose outer portions are preferably bent so that they stand at an angle of about 45 degrees to the bases of said spikes; in other words, these spikes are so formed by bending or curving that they will prevent the hulls and other foreign matter from clogging the spikes, and also preventing the cotton from wrapping or choking the machine.

The material delivered into the machine by the feed rolls passes to a beater, 4L, comprising arms extending radially from a suitable shaft adapted to break and separate any open bolls which may pass the feed rollers, said beater being designed for revolution at a high speed, and the loosened cotton being delivered from the beater onto a revoluble toothed drum, 5, the construction of which is substantially as follows:

The drum is mounted on a shaft, c, which extends transversely across the machine and. through suitable end heads, Zn, and the periphery of the drum is composed of a series of bands, CZ, of steel or other suitable material, each of the bands consisting of a strip of suitable width having one edge provided with saw teeth, c, or like serrations, said toothed or serrated edge being bent at right angles so that the teeth extend upwardly beyond the periphery of the drum, each of said strips having its ends provided with an appropriate hole for the reception of a screw or other fastening. The entire surface of the toothed drum is made up of strips such as has been described, the width of the strip determining the distance of the toothed edges from each other.

The drum, 5, has considerable diameter, and by bending one edge of each plate so that it stands at right angles to the axis of the drum, l provide on the surface of the drum, rows of teeth, whose extremities point in the direction of the rotation of said drum, and which rotation is opposite to that of the rotation of the beater, which feeds the material to the drum, the teeth on the drum being adapted to engage and carry the cotton and any adhering hull particles to an opposing hull roller, 6, the periphery of which is armed with spikes substantially similar to those before described7 for the feed rollers, l and 2, said roller, G, operating in a recessed portion of the frame, and the points of the teeth of the said roller, as also the teeth of the feed roller, 2, being designed to pass through openings formed in appropriate cleaner bars, 10 and l2, the function of which is to stripthe teeth of any cotton or hull particles which may attach thereto or bey confined therebetween.

At a point below the rotary beater, 4:, the frame of the machine has connectedto it by hinging or otherwise, a direction board, 7, which is preferably inclined toward the circumference of the toothed drum and is separated from said drum so as to form between itself and said drum a converging passage, through which hull particles and other foreign matter or debris pass to the intake or upper end of an appropriate air chute, 24. The entrance to this air chute is of substantially funnel shape, its inclined bottom thereby directing the foreign matter, hull particles, etc., thereover through the contracted central passage and into a connecting air passage, 22, which in turnleads to a trunk or chamber, 23, which, in practice, will be connected with the suc` tion end of an appropriate blower or fan, the purpose of which is to pneumatically re-l move the dust and debris delivered through the'chute, 2%, andpassage 22, to a point outside of the machine.

lVithin the flaring .inlet portion of the chute, 24, is mounted. aI perforated or foraminous drum, or roller, 25, through which air is designed to be drawn for the purpose of. pneumatically holding on the surface of the drum any cotton which may enter the inlet end ofl the chute, or attempt to pass said suction roller, and as this latter roller rotates in a direction opposite to the rotation of the tootheddrum, and it opposes Said drum, it will be apparent that any cotton which is pneumatically held to-the surface of the suction roller will be presented to the teeth of the drumand will be removed by thelatter whileany debris which may enter the space between the drum and toothed roller, and into which space the hull board directs such material, will pass over the roller and into the air chute and be finally deliveredbv the fan or blower, before described.

Qn-the side of the toothed drum opposite the suction drum is a rotary brush 2G, said brush comprising suitable heads c, which arenotched or recessed on their peripheries, to provide seats for longitudinally extending beards or strips, f, which form the heads of appropriate brushes, g, said heads and brush portionbeing set at an angle, say about 45 degrees, to the plane of the rotary brush, andthe aforesaid strips being separated from each other to' form spaces or openings, t, adapted to admit air through the brush .into the interior thereof, the lower portion ofv said brush rotatingin proximity to a curved screen bottom, 19, which is disposedat the upper or .notched end of the upper passage, 22

and

aid passage having -a-t some suitable point an appropriate ccn-V trolling vent, 39, the purpose of which is to regulate the draft through the brush and screen.

ln the frame adjacent the upper portion ofthe rotary brush, is a suitable air inlet, 27, for supplying air through the brush and into the aforesaid passage, 22. l have found by actual experimentv that a brush constructed in the manner stated, is far superior to the ordinary brushused for similar purposes in that the improved brush will remove the adhering cotton from the'teeth of the rotary drum without ginning or damaging it to any extent, and by having the brush rotate over the screen bottom, 19, the removed cot-ton is worked over this screen surface while subjected to the action of the sepa-rating air blast therethrough and said cotton dischargedfinto an appropriate passage, Z, while the removed foreign particles are drawn into the passage, 22, andare finally delivered from the machine as before mentioned.

By the arrangement ofthe screen roller, 25, and the adjustable direction board, 7, over which the hulls pass, l amenabled to provide an opening of considerable area through which debris may be discharged.

Adjacent the lower portion of the toothed drum is mounted an appropriate air cut-off which in the present instance I prefer to make in the form of Va brush m,the bristles of which will serve to cut off the free passage of air at the point which the teeth of the drum pass these bristles.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that the teeth on the drum or cylinder, 5, are integral with the material which constitutes the circumference of thisy cylinder, the said teeth being formed on the edge of the individualstr-ips and standing outwardly therefrOm, thus simplifying the construction and avoiding the use ofseparate teeth or rows ofteeth separately attached around the circumference ofV the cyl-V inder. Y

rllhe operation of the machine will beY fully understood from the foregoing description and it is apparentY that the construction and arrangement may be modied withinfreason- Vable limits withoutl destroying the function l. In a cotton gin feeder, the 'combina-1 tion'with Va frame, feeding devices therein and a rotary beater disposed in a plane below saiddevices, of adrum'belowfsaid Yfeedingdevices and rotating in opposition to said beater, said drnm'having its periphery armed Ywith rows ofvspikes which incline in the direction of; the rotation of the drum,

a suction trunk connecting with the interior of the frame having independent branches one leading to each side of the drum, each of said branches terminating in an enlarged chamber at the upper end, and a separating device in each of said chambers adjacent the periphery of said drum.

2. 1n a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted thereon and devices for feeding material to the drinn, of a suction trunk opening into the interior of the frame and having an en larged inlet end disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a foraminous suction roller in the inlet end of said suction trunk and forming between itself and the drum a passage for foreign matter and any cotton associated therewith, said roller adapted to pneumatically separate the passing cotton and hold the saine on its eX- terior, while permitting the foreign matter to enter the suction trunk, said roller rotating toward said drum and adapted to present the adhering cotton to the action of the teeth thereof.

3. ln a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted therein and devices for feeding` material to the drum, of a suction trunk opening into the interior of the frame and having an enlarged inlet end disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a foraminous suction roller in the inlet end of said suction trunk and forming between itself and the drum a passage for foreign matter and any cotton associated therewith,`

said roller adapted to pneumaticallyiseparate the passing cotton and hold the same on its exterior, while permitting the foreign matter to enter the suction trunk, said roller rotating toward said drum and adapted to present the adhering cotton to the action of the teeth thereof, and a direction board between the feeding devices and said roller adapted to direct the material into the passage between the drum and roller.

il. 1n a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted therein and devices for feeding material to the drum, of a suction trunlr opening into the interior of the frame and having an enlarged inlet end disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a foraminous suction roller in the inlet end of said suction trunk and forming between itself and the drum a passage for foreign matter and any cotton associated therewith, said roller adapted to pneumatically separate the passing cotton and hold the same on its eX- terior, while permitting the foreign matter to enter the suction trunk, said roller rotating toward said drum and adapted to present the adhering cotton to the action of the teeth thereof, and an adjustable direction board opposing the drum and adapted to direct the material into and to regulate the size of the passage between the drum and roller.

5. 1n a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted therein and devices for feeding material to 'the drum, of a suction trunk opening into the interior of the frame and having an enlarged inlet disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a rotary cleaner brush operating in said inlet portion of the suction trunk adjacent said drum and adapted to dislodge the cotton carried by the teeth thereof, said brush rotating in a direc-tion opposite to the rotation of the drum and having brush material on its periphery arranged tangentially thereto whereby said material passes the drum while in a rearwardly inclined position, and a separating screen forming the bottom of the chai ber in which the brush rotates, and guarding the upper end of the air trunk, said frame having a discharge passage for cote ton leading fromthe brush chamber.

6. 1n a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted therein and devices for feeding material to the drum, of a suction trunk opening into the interior of the frame and having an enlarged inlet disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a rotary cleaner brush operating in said inlet portion of the suction trunk adjacent said drum and adapted to dislodge the cotton carried by the teeth thereof, said brush rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation of the drum and having brush material on its periphery arranged tangentially thereto whereby said material passes the drum while in a rearwardly inclined position, and a separating screen forming the bottom of the chamber in which the brush rotates, and guarding the upper end of the air trunk, said frame having a discharge passage for cotton leading from the brush chamber, and said frame having an inlet to admit air above said brush.

7. 1n a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a frame, a toothed drum mounted therein and devices for feeding material to the drum, of a suction trunk opening into the interior of the frame and having an enlarged inlet disposed adjacent one side of the lower portion of the drum, a rotary cleaner brush operating in said inlet p0rtion of the suction trunk adjacent said drum and adapted to dislodge the cotton carried by the teeth thereof, said brush rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation of the drum and having brush material on its periphery arranged tangentially thereto whereby said material passes the drum while in a rearwardly inclined position, and a separating screen forming the bottom of the chamber in which the brush rotates, and

guarding the upper end of the air trunk, said frame having a discharge passage for cotton leading from the brush chamber, and a brush disposed at one side of the chamber in which the rotary brush operates and eX- tending into the range of action of the teeth of said drum, and adapted to cut off the passage of air below the drum.

8. In a cotton gin feeder, the combination with a spiked drum and means for feeding material thereto, of a screening chamber underlying one Side of the drum having a screen bottom, a suction chamber under lying said screen bottom, a rotaryl cleaner operating in said screening chamber and against the screen bottom thereof and in contact' with the spikes of said drum, said screening chamber having a separate discharge passage for cleaned` cotton Vand a controllable Vent in the suction chamber for regulating the draft through said suction chamber.

In testimony whereof l aflix my signature.

JAMES H. CARYm Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

